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Saturday, December 10, 2011

Orchestral Mass Schedule for Christmas Season at Assumption Grotto

Take note that this Mass was written by Fr. Perrone - both choral and instrumental parts. It is the first Mass that Fr. Perrone has ever penned, and it's first performance will be heard in the context of holy Mass at Midnight on Christmas Day.

I will try to bring more information to you before Christmas. I would encourage anyone involved with sacred music magazines, periodicals and websites, to call the rectory and ask for further info, or an interview (don't tell Fr. Perrone I suggested this, but he is much too humble to do any kind of self-promotion). I am in the choir, and have heard some professionals who are involved that this is very complex music. Father gave the choir a sheet with some explanations about his composition and why certain movements sound as they do. I am trying to get permission to put that online. [UPDATE: I received the electronic text, with permission to upload. Please see this post to read Fr. Perrone's commentary on his first composed Mass]

MASS SCHEDULE

I have been getting many inquiries about the orchestral Mass schedule for the Christmas season, as well as questions about the other Masses. I have put a number of questions forth to Fr. Perrone. In the meantime, please refer to the above, along with these things that I do know....

The "Midnight Mass" is at Midnight.

Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, people have asked if Grotto will be able to have a "Tridentine" at both Midnight and 9:30 AM Sunday. Fr. Perrone has said that we have permission to do both using the 1962 Missal. (Summorum Pontificum does not typically permit more than one such Mass on Sundays).

There will be a 6:30 AM Mass in the vernacular, as there is on all Sundays and holy days of obligation. This Mass does not usually have any singing or chant, but like all Masses at Assumption Grotto is celebrated ad orientem at the high/wall altar, and in a very reserved manner. The new translation of the Roman Missal are in use, as they would be at any parish, with laminated cards in the pews.

I'm still waiting on answers to the following questions:

Will the midnight Mass be a solemn high Mass?

Will the Saturday vigil Mass, usually at 4:00 PM, still be at 4:00.

Will the 9:30 AM "Tridentine" feature chant only, or choral music (Grotto has a men's schola which offers both chant and polyphony; I'm not sure if they are singing on Christmas Day and whether it would be at the 9:30 or noon Mass).

I"m also waiting on the answer to this question: What is the Confession schedule for Christmas?

Every Thursday night there is the Passio Domini, held by the ORC priests. Adoration and a serious of meditations on the Passion take place through all seasons. I am fairly certain this will be taking place the Thursday before Christmas, and we may have more opportunities for Confession that evening. Of course, most evenings, especially on M-W-F, there are Confessions heard prior to the 7:00 PM Mass, and you can always go the sacristy before or after Mass and request a priest go to the Confessional. They are very accomodating. Right now, it seems to me that the priests do not offer sacramental Confession on Christmas day, and perhaps not even before the midnight Mass. That is what I am trying to find out right now. For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron

St. John of the Cross

Dark Night of the Soul (2.2:3)...

"...the devil causes many to believe in vain visionsand false prophecies; and strives to make them presumethat God and the saints are speaking with them; and they often trust their own fancy. And the devil is also accustomed, in this state, to fill them with presumption and pride, so that they become attracted by vanity and arrogance, and allow themselves to be seen engaging in outward acts which appear holy, such as raptures and other manifestations. Thus they become bold with God, and lose holy fear, which is the key and the custodian of all the virtues; and in some of these souls so many are the falsehoods and deceits which tend to multiply, and so inveterate do they grow, that it is very doubtful if such souls will return to the pure road of virtue and true spirituality."